We hope big season 3 conflicts find well-positioned stopping points.

Tomorrow's Walking Dead seems like it's going to be one of those TV episodes where if you're running five minutes behind, you need to change plans. Hope you remembered the DVR. Otherwise, better off finding the rebroadcast, waiting for OnDemand access, or—with all this tension—maybe even seeking an illicit Internet stream.

Season 3's midseason, penultimate episode ended on the cusp of major action. We left our survivors just as the group's fiercest quartet jumped into their artillery-loaded Hyundai and set off for Woodbury. Rick, Daryl, Michonne, and Oscar (he's one of the two prisoners) survived Rip Van Winkle's isolated cabin, eluded the spotlights of The Governor's gatekeepers... then were immediately foiled by the credits. Ugh. But what's another week when the first ten minutes of the mid-season finale have to deliver some type of fireworks? The question isn't ifit'll happen, it's whether the ensuing action will be good or bad for Rick's company.

Since first being introduced to Michonne last season and The Governor (plus Woodbury) in episode 3, we've been waiting for the show's most high profile additions to intersect with our group. Last week, Michonne finally crossed paths with Rick, and now all signs point to Team Grimes at least gaining entry into the apocalypse's most famous gated community. Cries of poor pacing and entrapment on a farm feel like an awful long time ago.

But just because prison residents and peaceful towns finally intersect does not mean that fans will get the conflicts we're waiting for. Last week The Governor creepily showed his true self to Maggie, but ol' Merle handled things with Glen. If Rick and company penetrate Woodbury, there are secondary characters who could confront and constrain them (and that's if they don't just rescue Glen and Maggie then escape [relatively] unscathed). As much as reunions between Daryl and Merle or Andrea and Michonne would be interesting, this is where the fans lose in a split-season. We're sure to get drama, but not the drama. Our dream combatants are close in proximity, but would Rick meeting The Governor face-to-face now leave much to the imagination for February? A show pulling in record viewer numbers doesn't want to jeopardize growth by removing a reason for the casual fan to continue.

When series split seasons like this, it's a business decision and not a storytelling one. There are narrative peaks and valleys in the course of a traditional 13-episode television season, but content is consistent and natural points for climax and resolution are clearer. It's easy to manage your expectations. In a split-season however, the structure fans are used to is subverted. Now we have the hopes of a finale—storyline climaxes are sure to be in store—but an unnatural rhythm with plenty of episodes looming in February. If this was simply episode 8 with at least five weeks to go, it wouldn't be a disappointment if we miss out on the confrontations above. What's another week or two? But knowing we're likely to draw this out through March 2013 and might not even get a taste tomorrow—does that change the tension we experience at the end of last week?

Showrunner Glen Mazzara did a fairly open interview with the Los Angeles Times' Hero Complex blog [potential spoilers]. Without going into too much detail, he did confirm some things fans can expect before a break based on the show's history. Yes, there will be likely loss and bloodshed: in season 1, it was the CDC and "hope"; in season 2, it was Sophia (midseason) and Shane (penultimate). Mazzara also responded to a pretty obvious question (There's a cliffhanger, right?) emphatically: "It surprised the hell out of me." Again, season 1 left us with the destruction of the CDC and season 2 provided breaks following a barnful of walkers then the escape from Herschel's farm. Nothing too revealing here.

If you really want to dig for clues on the major storyline, good luck. Michael Rooker (Merle) did an interview where he said his character will get "more kick-ass" and that the midseason finale is one of the best hours of the season. A quick YouTube search for the episode's name ("Made to Suffer") brings up an episode teaser from a Spanish-language Fox station. Like AMC's official sneak peak (above), it doesn't reveal the main stories at all. However, some recent casting news may bring a new character into play sooner rather than later. This would be very similar to how Michonne was introduced—a brief character glimpse right before an episode break of someone familiar to comic fans—feeding online speculation rather than prompting a collective Huh?.

With the improvements made throughout season 3 so far, there's no doubt The Walking Dead will leave us with plenty to talk about on Monday morning (you might even expect another Ars look). But based on the show's format this year, it's likely to involve more questions than answers and possibly more frustration than analysis.

first season I didn't watch until the 5th episode, after that I decided I would avoid watching until the next to last episode for that season, which is exactly what I did for season 2 and am now doing for season 3. I was very happy with season 2 precisely because I did that, unlike many of my friends that watched it each week and were upset with the pace initially but became happier at the start of the 2nd half. So I probably won't be watching until mid spring next year (((((((((((((((

When I grew up, TV seasons ended in December -and started up again in January. Oh, and for the good ones, there were two episodes per week.

When was the last time any of you saw an episode of Sparticus? Well duh. ...By the time the last season is launched sometime in the 22nd century, who'll give a damn. I won't

Oh, I'm sure that they'll pound us with 'previous episodes' (and commercials) for weeks prior to the new season, but by then, I will have long ago lost interest.

Like I did for 'Lost' and 'V' and all the other shows having a 6 to 12 month gap between seasons.

I'm sure there are perceived reasons for such gaps =but from a viewer prospective, I thin\k the cigar chewers in the back room should go back to the 'Bonanza' motif. Replete with Hoss introducing the latest car (w. Corinthian leather!)

I understand the sentiment, but I disagree. As annoying as it is, the split season gimmick appears to draw viewers in, adding to the success of some really great shows. It's a shame you're missing out..

I liked the part where the zombies attack and they bashed them in the head. Then they do some boring stuff, then more zombies came along and they bash them in the head, and someone almost didn't make it, but just gets away just in time. Then the zombies attacked again and this time one of the minor characters gets bit and dies. Then they sat around and mourned, but then the zombies attacked again.

Wait, that's every episode.

This show is just the same. If you take out all of the zombie attacks from all the shows and then add up all times where it's not zombie attacks, you have about two episodes of footage.

But seriously this show has gone SO far away from the comic book, it just follows kind of broad strokes. I'm sure you all know that in the Comic, Shaun dies right away. To put it in terms of the TV show, he should have died in the very first show; maybe the second. And the most popular character, Daryl, isn't even IN the comic. Which is all fine and good. I mean if they change things around for the better no big deal I guess.

But wow, lots of hate for Lori. And really, lots of hate from just about all the female characters from the major TV shows. Lori, Betty and Megan and Peggy from Mad Men, Skyler from Breaking Bad. On and on and on. And most of the complaints seem to come from men. Hmmm. There's an article in there somewhere.

But I digress. I'll still keep watching the show, but yeah, these 8 episode mini-seasons have to go. They drag this stuff out too much. Breaking Bad should have ended by now, but they had to do THAT as a "mid-season break" also. I applaud TV shows that do a 10 episode season, as the writing is usually tighter, and they can tell a good story arc instead of draaaaaaaaging it out for 22 or 23 episodes. But I think they're just fucking with us now.

I understand the sentiment, but I disagree. As annoying as it is, the split season gimmick appears to draw viewers in, adding to the success of some really great shows. It's a shame you're missing out..

I know what you're saying. But I didn't miss out. I lost interest.

Sparticus is (was) a good example; so much time has gone by, I've totally lost interest.

Great show.But am I (and every one else) now expected to go through the entire series again to figure out what was going on?!? The answer: Oh, yes.

The advertisers need to pump commercials through your skull yet again. You might have missed one. They now get to hit you with (at least) twice the number of commercials per episode. Glory Be!

SO: whenever the new season comes out, instead of 20 minutes per hour of commercial drivel, they will have pounded us with 40 minutes (because they know all da slack-jawed cows, er fans, saw the last season once before.

I didn't fall for the cable scam, so no commercials here. If you have the scam known as Hulu Plus, you get commercials every 5 minutes for 5 - 10 minutes, then the show ...

I buy the episodes from Amazon or XBox Live.Splitting the season into two is a warning sign that the studio is going to shut down the series... happened to every single series so far.

Um...no. That's not what it means. This is business-as-usual for how AMC operates with all their popular shows. Also, The Walking Dead is a cash cow for AMC, they're not going to be shutting it down anytime soon.

Also, what "scam" are you talking about? You mean the "scam" of trying to make some money by advertising? You know, so they can keep producing the show? How DARE they! Such a scam! I don't like this trend of networks scamming us with these commercials. This is a new trend, yes? Only like 60 years of scamming us?

Also, buying a whole season for each show you watch via XBox and Amazon isn't a scam? How much you paying for each season pass for each show you watch? Now take what you spend and put it up agains a few commercials you have to sit through to watch your show. You really think you're getting the better deal there?

But wow, lots of hate for Lori. And really, lots of hate from just about all the female characters from the major TV shows. Lori, Betty and Megan and Peggy from Mad Men, Skyler from Breaking Bad. On and on and on. And most of the complaints seem to come from men. Hmmm. There's an article in there somewhere.

Hated Lori. Haven't hated any of the others you mention. Kneejerk generalizations often don't really work out when you dip below the surface. But, you can always find examples that will reinforce your preconceived notions, I suppose...

If people will lose interest while the show is off the air, wouldn't split seasons make more sense, not less? It minimizes the wait. E.g., it's 2-3 months off vs airing for 5 months then 7 months off. Who would lose interest after 3 months but stay rapt for 7? That makes no sense.

But wow, lots of hate for Lori. And really, lots of hate from just about all the female characters from the major TV shows. Lori, Betty and Megan and Peggy from Mad Men, Skyler from Breaking Bad. On and on and on. And most of the complaints seem to come from men. Hmmm. There's an article in there somewhere.

Hated Lori. Haven't hated any of the others you mention. Kneejerk generalizations often don't really work out when you dip below the surface. But, you can always find examples that will reinforce your preconceived notions, I suppose...

Not generalizing. Just because YOU don't hate on those other examples, doesn't mean I haven't seen it elsewhere in other forums and in other threads. But hey, good of you to do the typical kneejerk indignation over my opinion and observation. Bravo! It's no wonder you were called to testify! Yer smart!

/insert cute little troll picture from reddit here, to show how hip i am

I didn't fall for the cable scam, so no commercials here. If you have the scam known as Hulu Plus, you get commercials every 5 minutes for 5 - 10 minutes, then the show ...

I buy the episodes from Amazon or XBox Live.Splitting the season into two is a warning sign that the studio is going to shut down the series... happened to every single series so far.

Um...no. That's not what it means. This is business-as-usual for how AMC operates with all their popular shows. Also, The Walking Dead is a cash cow for AMC, they're not going to be shutting it down anytime soon.

Also, what "scam" are you talking about? You mean the "scam" of trying to make some money by advertising? You know, so they can keep producing the show? How DARE they! Such a scam! I don't like this trend of networks scamming us with these commercials. This is a new trend, yes? Only like 60 years of scamming us?

Also, buying a whole season for each show you watch via XBox and Amazon isn't a scam? How much you paying for each season pass for each show you watch? Now take what you spend and put it up agains a few commercials you have to sit through to watch your show. You really think you're getting the better deal there?

Come on...

To dispel a few myths you believe in .. for some reason ...

You already are paying for the show when you pay for cable. The commercials are recent on cable, and 60 years on free over the air ... know your history.

$41 a year is much cheaper than $2628 (cable) a year... know your math.

Heck, if we take in the other 2 shows (True Blood, Game of Thrones), that is $150 a year instead of $41. Still much cheaper than the 2.6k+ a year ...

But wow, lots of hate for Lori. And really, lots of hate from just about all the female characters from the major TV shows. Lori, Betty and Megan and Peggy from Mad Men, Skyler from Breaking Bad. On and on and on. And most of the complaints seem to come from men. Hmmm. There's an article in there somewhere.

Hated Lori. Haven't hated any of the others you mention. Kneejerk generalizations often don't really work out when you dip below the surface. But, you can always find examples that will reinforce your preconceived notions, I suppose...

Not generalizing. Just because YOU don't hate on those other examples, doesn't mean I haven't seen it elsewhere in other forums and in other threads. But hey, good of you to do the typical kneejerk indignation over my opinion and observation. Bravo! It's no wonder you were called to testify! Yer smart!

/insert cute little troll picture from reddit here, to show how hip i am

Lori was a badly written character that didn't get better. Andrea isn't great either, and hasn't been.

You know who is great, though? Carol. Also, Maggie.

If you want to go further with the sexism thing, I'll point out that no one really liked T-Dog until the last couple episodes, and Carl was terrible through most of the series.

For the folks bitching about Ars covering the series... really? This series is exactly the sort of thing the audience that visits Ars is interested in. It's pop culture. Get over it.

On behalf Doctor Who and Sherlock fans everywhere, I invite all you whiners to kiss our TARDISes. We had to wait over a year between season 6 and 7, and THEN we only got a short 5 episode first half of the season, then we just get a Christmas special to tide us over until the rest of season 7 in spring of 2013 Granted, the scheduling is mostly to set up a big 50th anniversary blow out in fall 2013, but it is still has been a long wait. Sherlock season 3 is an even linger wait due to Star Trek Into Darkness and The Hobbit.

You have to wait a few months because a show that airs on Sunday nights wants to avoid a ratings dip because of the holidays and the NFL playoffs/Superbowl? The producers and writers structured the season so the story would have a natural cliffhanger between the seasons? Boo f'ing hoo.

As someone who suffered through the never ending search for Sophia in season 2, I have to say that this season has been a huge improvement. I really like the reimagining of the Governor as a subtle psychopath instead of an obvious villain that looks like Danny Trejo, and I like what they did with Lori's death and the psycho phone. The only complaint I have really had is that Michonne really doesn't have much of a character at this point aside from frowning at everyone's shenanigans. They have done a great job of adapting the story arcs of the comic, but still leaving lots of surprises for us longtime comic readers. It really stands as its own version of the story now, that is different yet equal to the comic, where in first two seasons it was a pale shadow of the comic outside of the outstanding series premiere.

You already are paying for the show when you pay for cable. The commercials are recent on cable, and 60 years on free over the air ... know your history.

$41 a year is much cheaper than $2628 (cable) a year... know your math.

Heck, if we take in the other 2 shows (True Blood, Game of Thrones), that is $150 a year instead of $41. Still much cheaper than the 2.6k+ a year ...

Come on .... really.

$2628 a year for cable? Holy Christ. Mine is just under $2k (~$160 a month) with HSI.

But true, $150 is still a crap ton cheaper. Was just wondering where on earth its ~$2650 a year.

Damn... $2k a year. Never looked at it that way. Might actually cut the cord. Should buy a HD antenna and see what the reception at my apartment.

Alaska. We get jipped on almost everything. I view these as a per show. I literally only watch 3 shows (Walking Dead <-- kids love this one too, True Blood, and Game of Thrones).

It is hell of a lot cheaper for me to just purchase on demand per episode or even a season pass than to have Cable. I know my situation isn't the most common, I believe. Some people LOVE sports, and must have it. Some people must have a few kids channels for the kids (we have netflix for that). So, to each person/family to their own

As for negotiating, I do not know what country/state you are in, but that is not possible here

... They have done a great job of adapting the story arcs of the comic, but still leaving lots of surprises for us longtime comic readers. It really stands as its own version of the story now, that is different yet equal to the comic, where in first two seasons it was a pale shadow of the comic outside of the outstanding series premiere.

I agree wholeheartedly. I read the comic and watch the show religiously, and the way the writers and show runner Glen Mazzara have 'reconfigured' the events of the original in many cases works better than Kirkman's version.

...and to those posting about Ars featuring this article, I was pleasantly surprised to see it myself. I'd look at it as an indicator of how important the show has become this season. It's one of the only shows left on my "must watch" list this year.

I like how pointing out that a tech site should not be doing shill work for a TV show gets you down voted.

I'm a fan of the show and a member of Ars for over a decade, but this is a bit much.

You can take the corn cob out of your ass now.

When you buy Conde Nast (or buy Ars from Conde Nast), you can call the editorial shots; until then, there are tools called "eyes", "fingers", and a "scroll wheel" that can help you a lot in screening out and skipping stories that do not please you.

Lori was a badly written character that didn't get better. Andrea isn't great either, and hasn't been. You know who is great, though? Carol. Also, Maggie.If you want to go further with the sexism thing, I'll point out that no one really liked T-Dog until the last couple episodes, and Carl was terrible through most of the series.For the folks bitching about Ars covering the series... really? This series is exactly the sort of thing the audience that visits Ars is interested in. It's pop culture. Get over it.

Here here!This article is relevant to my interests and clearly took a bath in awesome sauce. I actually care much more about what the people at Ars think about TWD than reading some TV site compare it to other shows or whatever. Anyway, I couldn't agree more, Daros, especially that Carl has been nothing but annoying until recently when he became mostly silent.To everyone who graced this thread with their presence just to take a giant shit on it, don't let the zombie by the door bite your fat, rude ass on the way to you getting the fuck out, tits or no.

You already displayed your hipness with the implied "all men are misogynists" message. Very popular these days. No need for the cute image.

Edit: You just might want to google my Tribus now that you've commented on it.

Hmmm, I must have missed the part where I went "all men are misogynists". I must have said it, since you quoted it. Did I edit that out? Dunno.

I just stated that the particular comments about people hating on Lori, and Betty, and Megan, and Peggy etc were from guys. No where did I imply that "all men are misogynists", but it's cute of you to project your views upon me like that. That also seems to be very popular these days.